Chapter 59 : Two Hearts Getting Closer

The Next Morning  

When Su Xieqiu woke up, it was slightly later than her usual time.  

Han Zhenyu had already returned from bathing in the river. He had washed his clothes and fetched water. Now, he was sitting at the door, cleaning the bicycle he had ridden back.  

“You haven’t slept yet?” Su Xieqiu rubbed her eyes, her voice slightly hoarse.  

Han Zhenyu paused in wiping the bicycle when he heard her voice but didn’t turn around. In a low tone, he replied, “I slept for a while.”  

Su Xieqiu yawned behind her hand and heard Han Zhenyu say, “It’s still early. If you’re sleepy, go back to bed. I’ll cook later.”  

“I’m awake now,” she said. Su Xieqiu wasn’t one to laze around in bed.  

She slipped on her shoes and went into the yard to wash up.  

Han Zhenyu rinsed the cloth he had used to clean the bicycle and hung it up to dry. Then he said, “I’m going to check out the homestead first. I need to head to the factory later.”  

“Alright, you go ahead. I’ll come over after I finish tidying up,” Su Xieqiu replied.  

Han Zhenyu hesitated for a moment, wanting to ask if she wanted to go together but thought it might seem overly clingy. So, he nodded and rode his bicycle to the homestead.  

Once Su Xieqiu was done washing, she closed the door and started taking supplies out of her space eggs, black fungus, vermicelli, and other essentials.  

She gathered everything they might need for the month, stuffing the items into a sack under the bed. These were commodities she could plausibly claim to have bought locally, as black fungus and vermicelli, though scarce, were still available on the black market.  

Not knowing how long Han Zhenyu would stay home this time, she decided it was best to stock up now. His presence might make retrieving things from her space less convenient.  

After cleaning up the house, she planned to give some of the food to Grandpa Du and her uncle to take back to their own homes.  

When she arrived at the homestead, Grandpa Du and his family were already busy building a stove.  

Han Lei, Sun Dashu, and two cousins from the Yan family were leveling the yard.  

Han Zhenyu was just coming out of Grandpa Du’s house with a bag of items. Upon seeing her, he said in a low voice:  

“Before dawn, I went to see the captain. I’ll need him to issue a certificate for my household registration transfer.”  

“Got it,” Su Xieqiu replied, thinking about how kind Han Zhenyu had been to her and wanting to show her appreciation.  

She pulled out a large bowl of pickled peppers from her basket and smiled.  

“You mentioned last time that you like pickled peppers. I bought a bunch from an aunt in the village and made two big jars, along with pickled radishes. They should last you a long time.”  

Han Zhenyu was delighted. Her thoughtfulness brought a smile to his eyes, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.  

Looking at her, he said gently, “Alright, I’ll head to the captain’s house now.”  

“Don’t stay too long, come back early to eat,” Su Xieqiu said, waving him off.  

Han Zhenyu responded immediately, “I’ll be back soon.”  

What Su Xieqiu meant was that Grandpa and the others needed to continue working after breakfast, so he shouldn’t keep them waiting.  

However, Han Zhenyu interpreted it differently. He thought she was concerned about him being hungry and urging him to return for breakfast.  

This beautiful misunderstanding caused ripples of warmth in his heart again.  

Back at home, Su Xieqiu busied herself preparing scallion pancakes, using wheat and corn flour, and secretly adding three eggs to the dough.  

She also made a pot of corn porridge, mixed some cold beans, and served them with pickled peppers. It was a hearty and satisfying breakfast.  

Han Lei, Sun Dashu, and Sun Dahan were also eating with them for these two days. Su Xieqiu had invited them to share the meal.    

The three of them initially felt embarrassed and insisted on going home to eat, but in the end, Grandpa Du and Uncle Du insisted they stay.

Grandpa Du, used to this, looked at the food on the table. At first, he and his son had complained, telling Su Xieqiu to just make something simple in the mornings.  

But every time Su Xieqiu agreed with a smile, only to make the same kind of meal the next time.  

Eventually, they stopped saying anything because it seemed pointless.  

This girl, although usually cheerful and easygoing, had a strong personality, just like his grandson and was quite determined in her ways.  

Han Zhenyu returned quickly. Before Su Xieqiu’s meal was even ready, he arrived back on his bicycle, carrying a large basket of kidney beans and green vegetable seedlings on the handlebars.  

“Who gave you the food?” Su Xieqiu asked.  

“The captain’s wife. I didn’t want to accept it, but she insisted on picking it, so I brought it back,” Han Zhenyu replied as he brought the vegetables into the house and sat down by the stove to help her light the fire.  

“A while ago, the captain’s wife heard that I was pickling peppers, so she picked a large basket and sent it to me. When I went to the city last time, I bought some candy, so I grabbed a handful and brought it to their son.”  

As she cut the beans, Su Xieqiu told him about the interactions she had been having lately.  

Han Zhenyu nodded, “Just focus on these things. I’ll go to the factory to collect this month’s salary and tickets, then give them to you. You can buy whatever you need for the family. If the tickets aren’t enough, just tell me, and I’ll find someone to exchange them.”  

Su Xieqiu didn’t refuse. When two people lived together, it wasn’t possible to divide everything so strictly, but she wasn’t one to spend other people’s money carelessly.  

She added chopped garlic to the beans and poured some cooked oil over them. Seeing that the porridge in the pot was almost done, she said to him,  

“Go and call Grandpa and the others to come over for breakfast.”  

“Alright.” Han Zhenyu took the firewood out of the stove and went to the new house.  

He still needed to go to the factory for a certificate, transfer his household registration, and arrange his food supply. There was a lot to do.  

Everything had to be completed by the end of the month, or he wouldn’t be able to get any food next month.  

While the family was happily chatting and enjoying breakfast, a family of employees from the machinery factory’s family compound was discussing Han Zhenyu.  

Chen Hong, excited and restless, had hardly slept all night and was up early today.  

She wanted to ask her father when he would be going to the transport team, but she was too shy and distracted to ask.  

Before leaving, she could no longer hold back. With a red face, she whispered to Chen Dongsheng, “Dad, when are you going to the transport team to see Director Li?”  

Chen Dongsheng and Yu Huimin both found her hesitation amusing. She had been quiet and fidgety all morning.  

They had long figured out her thoughts, so they intentionally ignored her, assuming their daughter would eventually be more reserved and hold back.  

Yu Huimin sighed inwardly, thinking how outgoing girls can be. It wasn’t a big deal, but her heart was already set on Han Zhenyu.  

When she gets married, she’ll probably forget all about her parents.  

Chen Dongsheng, seeing his daughter’s boldness, felt a mix of anger and helplessness, though he was reluctant to scold her.  

He waved his hand and said, “Go ahead and get to work. I won’t forget. I’ll go to the transport team after the morning meeting.”  

“Thanks, Dad.” Chen Hong, relieved, opened the door and skipped down the stairs.  

Chen Dongsheng looked after his daughter’s retreating figure, set down his newspaper, and shook his head with a helpless smile.  

“It’s almost time, let’s go.” Yu Huimin stood up with a smile, grabbing the handbag from the wall.  

She turned to her husband and said, “Make sure to go to the transport team and settle this quickly, so this girl doesn’t keep thinking about it. She didn’t even eat much breakfast today.”  

Chen Dongsheng nodded. “I know. I have a small meeting this morning, but I’ll go there afterward. I also want to see what Han Zhenyu is like and why our daughter is so obsessed with him.”  

Saying this, he felt a bit uncomfortable.  

Like all fathers, Chen Dongsheng was troubled to see his daughter, whom he had spoiled since childhood, so deeply invested in a man. How could he not feel conflicted?